WrestleMania 4Love the venue, its just a unique style with the brown carpet entrance way and more of an arena feel than a stadium compared to last years Mania but it looks like a high quality arena that not any wrestling event would be held at. I like the build up before the show starts, poor Greggs voice, its cool to see the fans excited and interact with the Wrestlers before hand. I will always love the WWF logo coming in over the sea video and the casino style WrestleMania logo is done really well. One thing no one can argue is WWF does great hype videos and graphics.
USA National Anthem... America, F*** Yeah!
Battle RoyalWho doesnt love a battle royal to kick things off? I like the entrance with the trophy coming out and all the participants following, this seemed like a good idea to do every year to get everyone on the card but I guess it either was plausible or not thought of. Not much can be said for it except its just a good old fashioned 20 men in the ring throwing each other out. Strange choice with the winner but reading the "promise" Vince made to him then I could see this as an attempt to give him a bit of credibility. Always strange to me why George Steele doesnt get in the ring. Best elimination goes to Harley Race. You make your money with the ending of a battle royal and I like double cross ending, Lovely spin kick and the commentary sells this well as its not a typical wrestling script they go by, its not the best commentary by any stretch but it amazes me that Monsoon and Jesse pretty much half-assing it is 10x better than King and Coles "passion" commentary. Bret Hart comes off well after being on the downside of the result and gets some credibility back and I assume builds a face turn with some momentum behind it. Good start to the PPV.
Love seeing Dibiase in a top quality dressing room compared to what everyone else has. I grew up with that style of room with the plants and wood style furniture so it really brings me back. Aint no drug better than nostalgia!
Jim Duggan vs. Ted DibiaseKicking off the tournament now, standard wrestling "speech" by some guy I dont know but he does it well.
Hooooo! The lack of music is strange. Dibiase has his posse with him and he carriers quite the swagger with him. Good match up to kick it off with a potential winner instead of a two people who wont make it anywhere near the final.
Hacksaw does like his Hoooos, overdoing it slightly. I like the contrast of styles and it works well with Duggan brawling and Dibiase trying to wrestle, commentary again helps this point get over. Duggan has that brainless brute style to him whereas Dibiase goes about his work intelligently and he sells Duggans initial onslaught well and gets you to believe Duggan has a chance. Dibiase deserved a World Title reign, he shows off some nice moves but doesnt give it all as we dont want to see repetition throughout the night. Love the Flip coming off the top after a shot to the breadbasket, one of my favourite bumps. Good ending and performed well by all involved, Andre shows why hes there with Dibiase and what his intentions are for the tournament. The initial moves Dibiase uses to put Duggan down doesnt seem like it would be enough so Duggan does brilliant to try and fail to kick out instead of lying flat, really adds to the pin I and its what quick matches like this need for an ending as its more believable than a guy being out after 5 minutes. Nice start to the tourny.
Dino Bravo vs. "The Rock" Don MorrocoGreat finish with the Rock Bottom and Peoples Elbow... wait sorry, wrong Rock. This is the era that had great managers coming out of its arse, you look naked coming out of that curtain and not having a bloke in a suit or sports gear following you back then. Actions a bit sloppy and not quite clicking, lack of chemistry which isnt a term used much these days. Dibiase and Duggan had it, Bravo and Don didnt have as much in the beginning and struggled to find each others wavelength. Some nice leg attack moves by The Rock and really nice counter (if it was meant) by Bravo and Rock to pull off. Its s shame both men have no hope of winning the tournament, takes away a bit from the match. Good ending, fans like it and its done well. I'm glad they used it in a lesser match like this rather than a bigger one as its not an ideal WrestleMania match finish.
I will say I love the interview set, with the globe in gold the blue really makes it pop and its appealing to the eye but doesnt stand out enough to distract you when the wrestlers are being interviewed. I did enjoy Mr. Baseball on interview duty and the Andre one is the one I always look forward to.
Greg Valentine vs. Ricky SteamboatNice debut for Richie
Steamboat has a bit too much to live up to after last year and Valentine has never excited me enough to expect a MOTN again. So far the crowd have done a good job of cheering and booing when they should for the results and such but during a match, especially ones that dont have the big names like Hogan, they are spectators. Monsoon pulls out his medical expertise in this one. Decent match but it went more at Valentines pace rather than Rickys and it doesnt really get going for me. They both seem to just be going at it and passing the time before the finish. Action picks up when Steamboat takes over, getting a bit more exciting now. I disagree with the winner, I feel Steamboat should have gone on to the next round, Valentine isnt as exciting and Steamboat can put on better matches but we have what we have now. Didnt enjoy that match as much as the first two. This was the longest of matches in the first round that didnt had a winner which is a massive surprise to me, almost double the time of others.
The Natural Butch Reed vs. Macho Man Randy SavageAnother big gun coming out now, but lets be honest theres only ever one outcome here and its never in doubt. I do love the matching attires for Savage and Elizabeth. Another slow match, these first round matches should have been on before WrestleMania. Quick ending, thats about all the offense Savage has but it does the job I guess and doesnt take up to much time. Thats the only strange thing about this WrestleMania is because of the tournament all the matches need to be quicker than they should be. Thats probably why theres no big MOTN like other WrestleManias have.
One Man Gang vs. Bam Bam BigelowGood little match this, two big guys going at it and they do it well. Bam Bam is a real athlete for the size of him. These guys really stand out after seeing 90% of the wrestlers in coloured trunks. Bam Bam takes a good spill. Disappointing ending as these two where actually having a decent match and its over just as quick as its begun. Another dodgy ending, hopefully this wont keep happening.
Rick Rude vs. Jake.... The Snake.... Roberts!There are some real nice attires on display here, I cant believe people today don't try to go for something more like this instead of black this and black that. Nice work from Rude early on with the avoiding tactic and seeing Damien in the corner. Bit too much submission work with no end product for my liking, there wasting too much time waiting for the finish. Its a shame they couldn't take the time they had to put on a real good match instead of this prelude to the WM 12 Iron Man Match. An awkward looking fist drop from Rude, didnt look comfortable doing that or Jake was meant to move, either way it didn't come off looking too good. Theres something really weird starring at a zoomed in shot of a women's face... on Rudes arse. Fans chanting boring, complete change of crowd from last year that seemed to suck up all the action they were given, to be fair this match has way too many holds in it and it is a bit boring. Jakes getting some moves in now and the crowd are getting excited a bit. These two arent showing a lot of chemistry in this, they seem to just be doing random moves and waiting for the end rather than building to it, they also seem unaware of the time.
They seem to be going with "how many different ways to end a match can we do" in this first round. Its a shame as these two could have both gone on to have a good match in the next round but then again this match wasnt great and dragged on so maybe its for the best there both out.
Disappointing that two favourites to get to the final are gone in the first round in one match (as well as Steamboat) but it does well to build their feud I guess. Only people after the first round I can see making the final are Savage, Dibiase, OMG, Hogan & Andre. Its a shame some matches had 2 opponents that had little hope of a final spot as one of the had to advance and waste another spot in the second round.
Same with the interview set, this tournament bracket looks cool and Vanna White aint too sore on the eyes either.
Hercules vs. Ultimate WarriorSome strange noises coming from the Warrior, weird that these two arent in the tournament. The match is standard but I like the ending, doesnt quite fit with Warrior though. Warrior goes crazy and he looks good coming off of this.
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The GiantNice build up video but it really shows how WreslteMania 3 felt bigger. Andre looks in better shape this time around. Jesse and Monsoon do a great job of putting Hogan on a pedestal and Real American always gets the crowd going, America, F*** Yeah!
Unfortunately this just doesnt feel as big as last year, no title on the line, midway through the card and the setting isnt as epic as "93,000" fans in a huge stadium compared to trump plaza. The match quality is better so far though, Andre seems more willing to actually take moves this time. The crowd are finally alive for a match while its happening. Match should have been longer, they where doing a lot better than last year. Hogan gets the big Hulkamania moment and considering the time period the suplex on Virgil works great. Another slam on Andre and we get to hear Real American again, America, F*** Yeah!
I find it odd that Hogan isnt disqualified by himself as he used the chair first but its the story there going with and it frees up more match time otherwise it could have got really cramped on this card. Were down to three possible finalist now and only two possible winners, Maybe this should have happened in the Semi-Final instead, could have elevated the match more and gotten more Hogan and whilst a lot of Hogan on a card might not be technically pleasing, fans love the Hulkster and they'd love seeing him rise through the tournament and to see him fall at the last hurdle at the hands of Andre and Dibiase would have given the feud an extra edge to me.
Cool Savage interview and its a nice little foreshadowing to the next years Main Event in the same building. There hasnt been an interviewer sinc Mean Gene that carried a presence next to the Wrestlers and had a personality of his own, shame as he adds so much to interview segments.
"The peoples Champion, the great one, the Brahma Bull, the most electrifying man in sports entertainement, The Rock" Don Morocco vs. Ted Dibiase SeniorNice quick start to the match by The Rock and by golly Dibiase sells like a dream, such a great performer, he complements Moroccos offense really well. Dibiase looks naked without his posse out there but this is a blessing in disguise to me as it shows his ability in the ring and that he doesnt need to cheat, he just chooses too and it really builds him up as a viable winner. Were finally getting a decently paced and lengthy match, both men showing signs of fatigue to which adds a nice dimension to the match. Good move to finish it and its performed well enough to be a believable ending. Dibiase goes into getting the job done mode and he comes out of it looking a lot better for it too. The fans in attendance did not smell what The Rock was cooking on this day.
One Man Gang gets a bye, fantastic! Well at least it builds him up for his next match.
Greg Valentine vs. Macho Man Randy SavagePart of me wishes we got Steamboat/Savage 2 but we've already hade one WrestleMania rematch, maybe this would have been one too many and it was never going to outdo last years. Valentine does a better job this time and puts Savage under more threat, this is turning into a proper match now. Strange looking suplex by Valentine, crowd are just watching again until Macho gets a bit of offence going but they dont last long. This match does well to take a bit out of Savage and make you wonder if he could go through another match. Nice win for Macho with a small package and stops its not a repeat Elbow Drop so no chance of repetitiveness creeping in. Savage steals a win rather than winning straight out and its a good idea to go with for me.
Honky Tonk Man vs. Brutus the Barber Beefcake"I' got long sideburns and ma hair slicked back, I'm gunna do your town in ma pink Cadillac, I'm just a Honky Tonk Man!...... If you dont sing a long then your a bad wrestling fan!
No music for Brutus, its still really weird. Always like Brutus ring gear, this ones a favourite. Could have been sold more for an IC Title match, the crowd arent bad but compared to last year their dead. Better pace to this match, feels like a proper match rather than a quick one like the previous matches of the Championship Tournament. Nothing too flashy but no rest holds which does wonders for a match. Jimmy Hart grabs the bag full of
money for the power slam challenge Beefcakes scissors. I never hear people cheer when I get my haircut
. Bit too much confusion in the end, wouldnt mind the ending but theres been too many of that kind of result already.
Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware vs. The Islanders and The Weasel Bobby The Brain HeenanNice segment with Heenan early on, not his greatest but he just makes the segment time worth while.
Its amazing that in an era of colourful attires, The Islanders manage to pull out an attire that puts everyone else to shame. I'm amazed how many matches there are that arent to do with the tournament, you'd thought they'd want the card space yet still most matches get a good amount of time but no one had time to put on a classic. Nice to see the crucifix, doesnt get used enough these days. Henean doesnt do too badly in this despite the ring gear. Bulldogs and Koko arent getting much offence in. Ending comes out of nowhere but the aftermath is fun, shame there was no good guy pay off but good stuff, not everything should be sunshine and dreams. Brain cuts a good promo, he shoes that Brain isnt just a nickname.
Macho Man Randy Savage vs. One Man GangStandard match, some good spots and action from Macho Man and he pulls out the axe handle to the outside. This is pretty much a normal match like the first round bunch but with more weight behind it, as a Semi-Final bout it really is forgettable.
Good ending, really dont like all the DQs and whatnot but it serves well to injure Savage more before the big Final showdown of a well rested Ted Dibiase.
Demolition vs. Strike ForceLove Demolitions music, its adrenaline pumping stuff and makes them look badass. I like Strike Force, they have that good underdog look to them. Tag belts looks awesome too, why did they have to change them?
A nice contract of style with a smash mouth team in Demolition and Strike Force bringing the 80's style high flying. I enjoyed the match, some nice work by Demolition and a good up hill struggle by Strike Force with the always fighting back style. A nice house clean towards the end but the ending was a little bit of a mess, Santana should have been disqualified really but its funny seeing him bounce Fuji's head off the apron. Demolition look good with the belts and a cool interview after match in a strange room... couldnt they make it to the interview area?
Main Event
Macho Man Randy Savage vs. The Million Dollar Man Ted DibiaseBy golly that belt looks like a million bucks, thats the kind of belt you want to win!
Bob Ueker actually looks like he enjoys being there and thats cool to see from a celebrity. Vanna White does look very nice.
Its odd seeing Dibiase without
HAHAHAHAH Money money money money monnneeeeyyy!, even stranger when Savage comes out to music but hey-ho thats what it is.
Nice pace to it early on with both men putting the feelers out and just testing what they can do instead of pulling out the big guns straight away. Andre getting involved early on shows what hes there to do for Dibiase but it has potential to turn into Macho Man vs. Andre featuring Ted Dibiase. Ted gets some offence in now and solidifies his place in the match more trying to nullify my previous though. Every minute of the match means something, every move has a purpose and Dibiase plays the story well by talking to Andre and discussing "tactics." You dont get this nowadays as 90% of matches is just do moves that look good until its time to hit my finisher, if its a big match then kick out of finisher and do it again. The art of Wrestling is going extinct. Nice bit with Andre and Savage on the top rope its played well so that Dibiase is involved and doesnt go into the background. Liz is off on her bike, the crowd know Hulkamania will be running wild imminently. I always liked Hogan in long tights more than trunks but the red and yellow is so iconic. Match is evened up now and its got a bigger feel to it, like him or not Hogan adds to this match and doesnt overshadow Macho Madness running wild. Macho goes close to victory and the crowd are excited with anticipation only for Dibiase to move and Savage is in trouble. Not keen on the Hogan chair shot but it does the job and screws Dibiase out of the title as he wanted to do to Hogan and Savage. Cool scenes with Hogan and Savage considering what next years Main Event is. Goosebumps with Savage and Liz with the belt, its not as big a moment as the Hogan bodyslam and win at III but its a better feel good moment. Hogan is on the line of stealing the spotlight but I feel it isnt bad that hes out there, would have liked him to leave to give Macho the spotlight but its still a great celebration.
6.5/10Its a fun overall WrestleMania but it just doesnt have that stand out match and the matches it did have suffer from time restraints. I think they should have started in round 2 instead of 1 and given more time for matches but its gives Savage a great push for him to win the new WWF Championship after beating 4 men in one night. None of the matches where really bad but none where outstanding so its an average WrestleMania with a cool venue and interesting concept. Too many screwy finishes like DQs and countouts but they came good for the Main Event and seeing Savage with the belt is a good enough pay off for it. Ooh Yeah!